Back in the mountains after weekends of pounding the pavement. Met up with Aida under flashing lights in trees which probably kept the chickens up.

Laie Trail

Going up the heavily eroded and rutted section of the trail.

Laie Trail

Walking underneath the towering Norfolk pine trees.

Laie Trail

Traversing over the cleaned up landslide. Hats off to HTMC for all their hard work and trail clearing.

Laie Falls

It’s not only the sounds of running water, it’s also the sign that results in the urge to urinate. Fresh water was wasted in the making of this photo.

Laie Trail

Passing the steep cliff on the right and huge drops on the left.

Laie Trail

Reaching the replacement sign as we soon crossed paths with the KST.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Stepping foot on the most overgrown section of the KST.

KST

Where’s the other shadow?

KST

Fluttering and weathered flags marked the trail’s path through the dense overgrowth.

KST

Trudging through a somewhat exposed section of the trail.

Malaekahana Junction

Reaching the junction with the ridge that goes back down the namesake ridge that also has another waterfall.

KST

Following the faint trail with the pinwheeling windmills in the background.

KST

Forced smiles at one of our small breaks on the trail.

KST

Halfway there!

KST

Going under, contouring and convoluting our way through the trail was the common denominator of the day.

KST

Pushing through a seemingly impenetrable barrier of uluhe ferns, clidemia, strawberry guava trees, strangling vines and other plant life that seemed determined to poke, pull and generally make life miserable for hikers passing through their land.

KST

Face in the forest.

KST

Passing a pruner in the branches.

KST

Are we there yet?

Pu’u Hina

Group photo at the Pupukea Summit, which is also the junction for the “lost” Kahuku Trail.

KST

Dropping off the summit as we raced the sun sinking below the horizon.

Black Junction

The official end or start of the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

Pupukea Trail

When you don’t get the scare that you expected. Picked the wrong person. Thanks to Tessa for meeting us up on the trail and picking us up.

Pupukea Trail

Where the trail meets the road. Don’t miss the junction Auntie!

All pau

Walking in the darkness back to our cars where not paying attention gets you a bloody nose at the gate.

GPS Tracks

Our overgrown KST hike covered 13.2 miles through a punishing trail that abused you six ways to Sunday. Post hike meal at Kenko-ya, where the location needs to be updated on Google so everybody can meet up at the correct spot.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Tessa Bugay, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

It was that time to pay another visit to the least trafficked area of the KST.

Poamoho Road

Playing paniolo on a mechanized beast of burden while corralling cows back into their pastures.

Trailhead

Thanks to Edgar and Lilia for dropping us off at the start of the trail as it started to drizzle.

Poamoho Trail

Group photo, left to right: Ryan, Chico, Tessa, Aileen and myself.

Poamoho Trail

Dead roof rat on the trail. Rodent traps on the trails attempt to curb the scourge that attack native animal and insect populations.

Poamoho Trail

Hiking on the graded path, which the US Army once considered making this a jeep road all the way to the summit. The start of WW2 scuttled those plans.

Poamoho Trail

Halfway point. Checking for cannibals. Not cannabis.

Poamoho Trail

Crossing over the largest of the landslides that shut down the trail back in March 2021.

Poamoho Trail

Heading into the side gulch above a small tributary of Helemano Stream

Poamoho Trail

Crossing the stream, which marked less than 10 minutes to the summit.

Poamoho Summit

Windy group photo at one of the best summit spots on the island with sweeping views of Punalu’u, Kahana and Ka’a’awa Valleys.

Cline Memorial

Seeking shelter below the stone memorial before resuming our hike.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Contouring our way below the ridge line.

KST

Going through the fenced rolling hills in the cloud soaked mountains.

Boot Junction

Taking our group photo at the iconic boot that has stood witness in these mountains for many years.

Boot Junction

Why did the hikers cross the fence? To get to the other fence.

KST

Following the fence line for daze.

KST

What am I doing here? Or maybe he’s just rubbing his eyes.

Rabbit Hole Junction

Ready for more mud?

KST

Some embraced the suck, while most avoided it like the plague.

KST

I remember when there was no fence line or gates, just a thin trail through the overgrowth.

Papali Junction

Somebody with the longest arm took our group photo.

KST

Pushing our way through the bog like landscape.

KST

Is this the trail?

KST

Taking a break from slogging through the mud soaked and overgrown trail.

KST

Winding our way through the verdant mountains.

KST

Traversing on the exposed ridge line.

KST

Climbing out of the notch and towards the cabin.

KST

Sloshing through the mud as we regained the fence line.

Koloa Cabin

Approaching our home for the night. Would Tessa’s gamble pay off?

Koloa Cabin

Wash time.

Koloa Cabin

Enjoying our brief and somewhat dry spell in the cabin as we plugged holes so no rats would come around, filtered water, cooked ourselves dinner and most of the group medicated themselves to sleep for the night.

Laie Trail

Day 2
Chris started early on the hike that is a study in contrasts according to Stuart Ball, to join us at the summit.

Koloa Cabin

We cleaned up the place and took a parting group shot.

Koloa Cabin

Leaving the most spacious cabin on the KST.

KST

Tessa getting her feet back in the mud.

KST

Going down the steep fenced hill.

KST

Ryan against the background of the Waianae Mountain Range.

KST

Following the fence line for the last time on this trail.

KST

Dropping down into the bowl shaped depression.

KST

Meandering our way through the mountains with sweeping views of the coastline.

Laie Summit

Meeting up with Chris at the 2,240′ foxhole of a summit.

KST

Leaving the summit behind us as we resumed our hike on the trail.

KST

Man on the ridge line.

KST

Following the trail carved into the sides of the mountains as it meandered through the Ko’olau Mountain Range.

KST

We can thank the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the US Army for carving the KST out of the mountains back in the 1930s.

KST

The KST was not made for hikers but rather for the military and pig hunters to access the previously inaccessible mountains.

KST

Tree hugger.

KST

Halfway there! Let’s have lunch.

KST

Back on the trail that was in serious need of trimming and then some.

KST

Face in the tree.

KST

Taking a break from the cloying and constant overgrowth.

KST

Let’s go that way. Never argue with a man with a machete.

KST

Going through the forest that was seemingly covered with moist moss.

KST

Rainbow in the mountains.

KST

Somebody looked slightly annoyed as we followed the trail that no longer looked like a trail.

KST

Climbing our way back up to the ridge line.

KST

The group emerging from the forest of constant poking and pulling.

KST

Approaching our last summit of the weekend. We were not out of the woods yet.

KST

Crawling through tunnels of overgrowth.

KST

I fought the uluhe and the uluhe won.

Pu’u Hina

Somebody disentangled the leaves, sticks and ferns in her hair while somebody else self-medicated their private parts. Turn away. Not safe for children.

Pu’u Hina

Group photo at Pupukea Summit, no need to stand up. This is also considered the junction for the abandoned Kahuku Trail built in the 1920s that has since been reclaimed by Mother Nature.

KST

Leaving the summit behind us.

Black Junction

The “official” end or start of the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

Pupukea Trail

We were still not out of the woods yet and caught the setting sun as we made our way down to the road.

Military Road

The one and done crew exiting the trail.

Military Road

Height check.

Military Road

Less walking, more running. You got a wife to meet at the bottom of the road.

Military Road

Things that go BOO in the night. Got me good.

All pau

Big shout out to Lilia for waiting several hours over the projected exit time and picking us up at the end of the dark and deserted road. Post hike meal was not at the much anticipated, mouth watering Haleiwa Joe’s thick cut of prime rib. Due to the late hour, we ended up eating at the nearby McDonald’s. In the parking lot.

GPS Tracks

Our grueling and taxing camping weekend with a good group that weathered the hike with a couple scratches to spare and ferns stuck in odd places covered over 18 miles where the country is still country.

Photos taken by Aileen Agustin, Chico Cantu, Chris Bautista, Ryan Meyer, Tessa Bugay and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

What was supposed to have been a friend’s last section to complete the KST turned out to be just another day in the mountains. Thanks to Jasmin for dropping Ferlino and myself at the Laie Falls trailhead where we also saw Allison, Anne, Art, Chris, Cisco, Janell and Tessa. Meeting hiking friends at the same hiking trails was getting to be a habit. Not a bad habit to break. Photo by Art Young.

AAA

Some of the guys helped unstuck a truck on the rocks. Just needed a lot of elbow grease. We had time to kill as somebody was running late.

Trailhead

Janell checking for her permit as we waited in the bushes for the straggler.

Building permit?

Cisco checking out the shelter just in case, but the rain forecast stated 14% probability. So we should be good. Famous last words. Photo by Anne Fai.

Laie Trail

Heading up the heavily rutted trail that only dirt bikers can love. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Laie Trail

We were now in the 14% rain zone as we approached the grove of pine trees. Forgot my umbrella. Photo by Allison Banks.

Laie Falls

No side trip to the falls today. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Laie Trail

Going up through the trail that cut a swath through the thick carpet of uluhe ferns. Photo by Art Young.

Laie Trail

Allison and Janell on the trail cut into the side of the ridge. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Laie Trail

The trail switching to the other side as we approached the summit. Photo by Art Young.

Laie Summit

It was getting lonely at the top, as the rains had left us but cool winds kept us company. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Laie Summit

Summit life. Never a dull moment. It was also Janell’s first time up here.

Laie Summit

Group shot in the foxhole, left to right: Cisco, Allison, Ferlino, Anne, Art, myself, Janell, Chris and Tessa. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Laie Summit

Leaving the 2,240′ summit. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Tessa heading into the wild untamed country of the Northern KST.

KST

When the overgrowth is taller than you, you know it’s going to be a long day.

KST

Can you spot the hikers for the loulu palm trees? Photo by Anne Fai.

KST

The overgrowth was more pronounced on the sheltered Leeward side of the trail. Photo by Anne Fai.

KST

Cisco going through knee high overgrowth. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Pushing our way through the wispy overgrowth.

Malaekahana Junction

The glove was looking a little limp. Not getting enough action in the mountains.

KST

Enjoying the Windward side of the trail.

Food Pantry

Some people come prepared. And then you have Art. At least we won’t starve in the mountains. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KST

Back on the trail after our short break.

KST

Following the trail as it meandered through the mountains. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

The group rounding one of many bends in the trail. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Green Pages

How do you feel about this trail? Anne let her finger do the talking.

KST

The group traversing the trail with the windmills pinwheeling in the background. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Tessa disappearing into the uluhe overgrowth.

Lunch time

It was time put a dent in those canned goods. Spreading the wealth around aka pork and beans.

KST

Halfway there. The worse half of the bushwhacking was yet to come.

KST

Taking pictures on the trail. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Where are my pictures?

KST

Plunging our way through the uluhe infested corridor of strawberry guava trees.

Peek-a-BOO!

I don’t know which is scarier, the uluhe or uki.

KST

When you’re in over your head.

KST

Taking a break from the punishing overgrowth. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KST

Allison and Cisco up to their necks in overgrowth. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Pu’u Hina

Group photo at the benchmark.

KST

Heading down the trail. Photo by Anne Fai.

Ukininam!

Trying to scare the COVID19 away. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Black Junction

The official end of the KST. Wish you could have been here Matt! Well, at least I didn’t have to carry the champagne around the whole day. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Pupukea Trail

When a tree falls in the forest, all it does is block the trail. Photo by Anne Fai.

Pupukea Trail

Leaving the trail to pound the pavement going back down.

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Landslides are taking a toll on the military road that is slowly reverting back to Mother Nature. Photo by Janell Tuttle.

Erosion at work

Wait, who’s going to take our picture and why are we sitting so close to the edge? Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Bike Ramp

I didn’t get enough air time. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

All pau

Thanks to Jasmin for picking us up at the end of the congested road.

GPS Tracks

Our 12.9 mile hike through the most overgrown section of the KST was made bearable by the good company of friends. Post hike meal at Casa Carinio’s where we got to eat home made Chicken Papaya. Not enough to go.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers.